Apparatus for drying bricks.



W. F. DECKER. APPARATUS FOR DRYIN G BRICKS.

APILIOATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1906.

Patented June 1, 1909.

a anus-sum 1.

v //%8W'UE W606 WFDeclrer 351 1110 atfc num a V Wiiwwwa THE uamus PETERS co, umsmucrau', n. c.

w. F. DECKER. APPARATUS FOR DRYING BRICKS.

. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2.9, 1906.

,Pa-tented- June 1,1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

cronfnic. 1w: nnnms PETERS cm, WASHIN w. F. DECKER, APPARATUS FOR DRYING BRICKS. APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1906.

8 SHEETSSHEET 3.

Patented June 1,1909.

QXRMMM a ms NORRIS Psrsns ca. wAsHmcroN. u. c.

WILLIAM F. DECKER, OF GOSHEN, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING BRICKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1909.

Application filed September 29, 1906. Serial No. 336,782.

To all whom it may concern:

Goshen, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Appa atus for Drying Bricks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings 5 accompanying and forming p art of the same.

In the manufacture of brick it is necessary that the bricks be well dried before burning, and numerous methods and apparatus have been devised for such purpose. Some of the proposed devices have proved more or less successful in operation, but the most satisfactory as regards rapidity and thoroughness are extremely costly to erect and maintain. Need has long been felt for a rapid and effective apparatus which could be constructed and operated at small cost, and to provide an apparatus of this character is therefore the chief object of my present invention.

In carrying out my invention in its preferred form I provide a shed of suitable size, divided into a number of relatively long, narrow chambers, the walls of which extend to the ceiling of the shed and are provided at a suitable height above the floor or ground with supports for the trays or pallets on which rest the bricks to be dried. Across one end of the chambers ext-ends a passage orconduit opening into each, through which conduit flows a current of heated air, produced by heating and blowing devices provided for the purpose. The warm air, flowing along the chambers under the pallets of brick, rises through the interstices between the latter, and escapes, loaded with moisture, through suitable openings in the ceiling into a com mon collecting chamber between the ceiling and the roof. From the latter chamber the moisture-laden air escapes into the atmosphere through apertures provided for the purpose, and preferably provided with adjustable dampers or closures by which the outflow of air from the collecting chamber, and consequently the flow of air through the drying chambers, can be regulated as desired for the most efficient operation.

The preferred embodiment thus briefly described is illustrated more fully in the an neXed drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the drying shed through the center of the same, also showing the truck with a loaded pallet just lifted therefrom and deposited on g V the pallet ledges or supports. Be it known that I, V'VILLIAM F. Batman, 1 a citizen of the United States, residing at l Fig. '2 is a transverse section on line llll of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a plan view, with a portion of the ceiling broken away.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 1 indicates a shed of any suitable construction, provided with a ceilin 2 and roof 3, the latter being preferably of the ordinary gable form shown, with the peak extending longitudinally of the shed. The side walls of the latter are constructed sufficiently tight to prevent any considerable escape of air from the interior.

Extending from floor to ceiling are longitudinal partitions 4, dividing the interior of the shed into a convenient and suitable number of long narrow chambers or tunnels 5, and provided a few feet above the floor or ground with supports, as the ledges or shelves 6, on which rest the brick-pallets 7. The latter are merely rectangular frames with spaced cross-pieces, on which the bricks 8 are piled checker fashion, to permit the warm dry air to flow up through the pallets and through the interstices between the bricks. The pallets are of sufficient size to rest on the opposite ledges, and are arranged in succession, as indicated. in Fig. 1, which shows a chamber or tunnel partly charged.

Before the tunnels at one end, and extending across the series of tunnels, is a transverse conduit 9, conveying air supplied by a blower 10, connected at one end of the same and drawing its air fronvany suitable and convenient air-heater, merely indicated diagrammatically at 11. The top of the conduit 9 is provided with openings 12, discharging into the respective tunnels or chambers. In order to direct the incoming air effectively lengthwise of the tunnels, deflectors, as 13, are provided above the discharge apertures 12, as shown. In Fig. 3 one of the deflectors is shown in plan, while the others are in horizontal section.

The tunnels being charged with the desired number of pallets, the entrance of the shed, at the right of Figs. 1 and 3, isclosed in any convenient way, as by a door or doors, not shown. The blower is then started, delivering warm dry air into the conduit 9. The air, flowing along the conduit, is discharged into the tunnels, and flowing through the same passes upward through the pallets and stacks of brick. In the ceiling are long, nar row openings 14, above the respective tunnels or chambers. Through these openings 1 the moisture-laden air rising from the brick stacks escapes into the space between the roof and the ceiling, constituting a common collecting chamber. The bricks are thus constantly bathed in dry, heated air, and their moisture is rapidly evaporated.

In order to prevent too great a proportion of the air discharged into the tunnels from escaping at once into the collecting chamber through the openings 141-, the latter grow wider from the air-inlet ends of the tunnels, with the intention that the successively greater freedom of escape thus afforded will cause the air to distribute itself more evenly throughout the length of the tunnel. In addition, the openings may be provided with dampers 15, by which portions or all of each openings (if sufficient dampers are provided) maybe closed at will and the distribution of air in the tunnels thus positively controlled. In general, a few dampers near the air-inlet ends of the tunnels will be found to answer the requirements of ordinary use.

Along the peak or comb of the roof extends a cupola 16, having longitudinal airoutlet openings 17 in its side walls, provided with closures or dampers 18. The latter are hinged. at their bottoms and may be lowered to any desired extent, thus affording convenient means for regulating the out-flow of air. The dampers are also useful to control the effect of wind, which, if the outlets were always open, might blow into the collecting chamber andv thus interfere with the proper draft therein. But by closing the damper 011 the side against which the wind is blowing, extraneous air-currents may be excluded, the other damper being opened sufficiently to give the desired flow of air through the tunnels. Any convenient and suitable means for operating the dampers may be employed, as for example, the cord and pulley construction indicated at 19, in Fig. 2.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my invention provides means by which bricks may be rapidly and economically dried.

It will also be seen that the apparatus, can. be constructed very cheaply, and that, too, in the most durable manner, thus reducing the necessary amount of repairs to a minimum.

It is evident that two or more sheds or sets of tunnels may be supplied with air from the same conduit, though for the sake of clearness, to keep the drawings on a larger scale, I have shown but one shed. In fact I prefer to employ at least two sets of tunnels, one of which may be drying bricks while the other is in course of charging, thus making the operation of the system in a sense continuous.

It is to be understood that the construction herein described is merely the preferred form of the invention, which may be embodied in various ways without departure from its proper scope as defined by the ap pended claims.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. In a brick drying apparatus, in combination, a drying shed having a roof, a cupola on the roof extending longitudinally of the latter and having air-outlet openings in its sides, means for regulating the flow of air through said openings, a ceiling below the roof, the space below the ceiling being divided into a plurality of drying chambers and the ceiling being provided with openings extending longitudinally of the chambers for the discharge of air from the chambers into the collecting space or chamber between the ceiling and the roof, means for regulating the flow of air through the ceiling openings, an air conduit common to the chambers for sup- )l in air thereto as set forth.

2. In a brick drying apparatus, in combination, a long, narrow drying chamber having an air outlet opening in its top extending longitudinally thereof, means for discharging air into the chamber, and means for closing more or less of the air-outlet opening throughout the length of the chamber at will, as set forth.

3. In a brick drying apparatus, in combination, a long narrow drying chamber having an air outlet opening in its top extending longitudinally thereof, means for discharging air into the chamber, and means for regulating the flow of air through said opening, said means comprising a plurality of closures arranged longitudinally of the opening and capable of operation independent of each other, whereby more or less of said opening may be opened or closed.

l. In a brick drying apparatus, in combination, a long, narrow drying chamber having an air outlet opening in its top extending longitudinally thereof, means for discharging ir into the chamber, and means for regulating the flow of air through said opening, said means comprising a plurality of hingedly mounted closures arranged longitudinally of the opening and capable of operation independent of each other, whereby more or less of said opening may be opened or closed.

5. In. a brick drying apparatus, in combination, a long, narrow drying chamber having an outlet opening in its top extending longitudinally thereof, said opening gradu ally increasing in width from one end of the chamber to the other, and means for regulating the flow of air through said opening, said means comprising a plurality of closures ar ranged longitudinally of the opening and capable of operation independent of each other, whereby more or less of the said opening tray be opened or closed.

WILLIAM F. DECKER.

W itnesses:

STURGEs S. DUNI-IAM, THOS. J. Browns. 

